JOIN USCollege students, these days, are going out of their way to help NGOs both in individual capacity and with the backing of their college administrations.
Kamala Nehru College (KNC), recently, held the third edition of its widely popular annual NGO Mela. It saw the participation of over 20 NGOs working with different sections of our underprivileged population and hundreds of youths from different colleges who came to perform and extend support to these groups.
The mela takes place under the ambit of the National Service Scheme and Student Union of the college and is a massive affair every year. A visibly excited KNC student union president Dhanya Venkatesh said, “This is our way of expressing appreciation and love for those who are a part of our society and yet excluded. I am very happy with the way it went. It was colourful, exciting, entertaining and the turnout was mind-blowing.”
Fun competitive events, performances by various cultural and college students’ groups and stalls put up by various NGOs marked the event.
A break dance performance by a Thalassemia major patient, Ayush, left the audience spellbound. Memoirs of Muskaan, an NGO for differently-abled children, rendered heart-warming songs. This NGO has received the prestigious Hellen Keller award for their exemplary work in social services.
Students of ‘Nanhe Pankh,’ an initiative by the students of KNC to provide remedial classes to wards of the college’s non-teaching staff, danced to the tune of Bum bum Bole. Students’ societies of the college like Lakshya, the theater society, attracted a huge crowd, while Glitz, the fashion society, was the show stealer just after that. A Mauritian dance performance was put together by the French department of the college.
“There is such a lot of crowd even when it’s raining,” said a surprised volunteer. A number of free health check up camps were also held at the event. From physiotherapists to dental care and to Homeopathy, many specialised doctors had come to conduct free checkups.
Stalls put up by NGOs sold everything from handicrafts to culinary skills. Diwali decorations like handmade diyas and scented candles flew off the shelves. Many visitors were seen interacting with these NGOs. Save the quest, an NGO working for the blind, made students play games blindfolded to raise awareness.
Competitions like poster making and quiz also drew in major crowds because of the lucrative prize money. Siddhant Sahni of Amity University came all the way from Noida to attend the Mela. He said, “I had heard so much about KNC’s Diwali Mela that I wanted to come and see for myself what the hype is all about.” He added that he got more than he had expected and would surely comeback next year.